Grade- 10 Social Science
Geography chapter- 4
Agriculture
Very short answer type questions.
Q1.By which name is specialized cultivation of fruits and vegetables known?
Ans. Horticulture.
Q2.Describe ‘Jhumming cultivation’ in one sentence.
Ans. ‘Slash and burn’ agriculture.
Q3. Which state is the leading coffee producer state in India?
Ans. Karnataka.
Q4.In which country the ‘slash and burn’ agriculture is known as ‘Roca’?
Ans. Brazil.
Q5.Which crop are grown with the onset of monsoons and are harvested in the month of
September and October?
Ans. Kharif
Q6.Hoe, dao, digging sticks are associated with which type of farming?
Ans. Primitive subsistence farming.
Q7.In which season are rabi crops sown in India?
Ans. The rabi crops are sown in India in winter from October to December.
Q8.Which is the leading sugarcane producer state of India?
Ans. Uttar Pradesh is the leading producer of sugarcane in India.
Q9.What is White Revolution related to?
Ans. White Revolution is related to the production of milk. It is also called Operation Flood.
Q10. Assertion (A) Tea cultivation, is a labour – intensive industry.
Reason (R) Cultivation can be done throughout the year .Tea bushes require warm and moist frost- free
climate.
Ans. Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true but Reason (R) is not the correct explanation of Assertion (A)
Q11. Bhoodan-Gramdan movement initiated by Vinoba Bhave is also known as the Blood-less Revolution.
Q12. What is the full form of ICAR?
Ans. The full from of ICAR is INDIAN COUNCIL OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH.
Short answer type questions.
Q1.What is the importance of agriculture in Indian economy?
Ans.a. India is an agricultural country.
b. Nearly two-thirds of its population depends directly on agriculture for its livelihood.
c. Agriculture is the main stay of India’s economy.
d. It ensures food security for the country and produces several raw materials for industries.
e. Agricultural development is therefore, a precondition of our national prosperity.
Q2.Mention the geographical conditions required for the growth of cotton along with any four cotton-
producing states.
Ans. Cotton is a kharif crop. India is believed to be the original home of the cotton plants.
The geographical conditions required for the growth of cotton are as follows.
1. Cotton grows in the drier parts of the black cotton soil of the Deccan Plateau.
2. Cotton needs high temperature, light rainfall, 210 forest-free days and bright sunshine for its growth.
3. It requires 6 to 8 months to grow.
4. Major cotton-producing states are Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka
Q3.Distinguish between primitive subsistence farming and intensive subsistence farming.
Primitive Subsistence Intensive Subsistence
This type of farming is done on very The land holdings are comparatively bigger.
small patches of land.
Primitive tools like a hoe, dow, Modern agricultural inputs like chemical
digging sticks are used for cultivation. fertilizers, HYV seeds, machines are used
wherever suitable
This agriculture is dependent on Means of irrigation like tube wells, canals are
rainfall and the natural fertility of the used. Soil fertility is also increased by the use of
soil. fertilizers.
Family members provide labour. Labourers are hired.
Land productivity in this type of Land productivity in this type of agriculture is
agriculture is low. high as it is meant for commercial purpose.
Q4. Which are the two main cropping seasons in India? Mention their growing and harvesting periods.
Ans. The two main cropping seasons are Rabi and Kharif:
• Rabi crops are sown in winter from October to December and harvested in summer from
April to June.
• Kharif crops are sown with the onset of monsoon in different parts of the country and harvested in
September-October.
Q5.What are the growing conditions required for the main staple food crop of India?
Mention the main growing regions.
Ans. Growing conditions required for rice:
• High temperature (above 25°C required. It is a Kharif crop.
• High humidity with annual rainfall above 100 cm.
• Main growing regions are northern plains, north-eastern India, Costal areas, deltaic plains and river valleys.
Q6. Why the pulses are mostly grown in rotation with other crops? Name any two major pulse producing
states?
Ans. Pulses are mostly grown in rotation with other crops because:
• Pulses need less moisture and survive even in dry conditions.
• Being leguminous crops, all these crops help in restoring soil fertility by fixing nitrogen from the air.
• Major pulse producing states are Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
Long answer type questions.
Q1.Describe the institutional and technical changes introduced in the field of agriculture in India in the recent
years.
Ans. • Land reforms: Collectivisation, consolidation of holdings, cooperation and abolition of zamindari.
• Agricultural reforms: Green revolution and White revolution.
• Land development programmes: Provision for crop insurance against drought, flood, cyclone etc,
establishment of Grameen banks, Cooperative societies and banks for providing loans.
• Issuing of Kissan Credit Card and Personal Accident Insurance Scheme, etc.
• Special weather bulletins and agricultural programmes for farmers on radio and TV.
Q2.Define plantation agriculture. Explain any four characteristics of plantation agriculture.
Ans. Plantation Agriculture: It is a type of commercial farming practised in tropical and sub-tropical regions. It
was introduced by the British in India.
Characteristics:
• A single crop is grown over large area.
• It is capital intensive and done with migrant labour.
• All produce is used as raw material in industries such as tea, coffee, rubber, sugarcane, banana, etc.
• Plantation has interface of agriculture and industry both.
Q3. What is plantation agriculture?
Ans. a. Plantation farming is bush or tree farming
b. The British introduced it in the nineteenth century.
c. It is a single crop farming of rubber, tea, coffee, cocoa, spices, coconut and fruits like apples, grapes, oranges
etc.
d. It is capital intensive and demands good managerial ability, technical know-how, sophisticated machinery,
fertilizers, irrigation and transport facilities.
e. Some of the plantations like tea, coffee, rubber have a processing factory within the farm itself or close to it.
f. This type of agriculture has developed in hilly areas of north- eastern India, sub Himalayan, West Bengal and
in Nilgiri, Anamalai and Cardamom hills in peninsular India.
Q4. Explain any five steps taken by the central and state governments to improve Indian agriculture after
independence.
Ans.Various initiatives taken by the central and state governments to ensure the increase in agricultural
production after independence are as follows.
and abolition of zamindari, etc. were given priority to
bring about institutional reforms in the country after independence.
d the White
Revolution (Operation Flood) were some of the strategies initiated to improve Indian agriculture.
or crop insaurance, subsidy on agricultural inputs and resources
such as power and fertilisers, Grameen banks, Kissan Credit Card (KCC) and Personal Accident Insurance
Scheme are some of the reforms brought by the government.
Research (ICAR), agricultural universities, veterinary services
and animal breeding centres, horticulture development and weather forecast etc. were given priority for
improving Indian agriculture.
